Planning and Zoning Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the March 13, 2023
Planning and Zoning Meeting

The Planning and Zoning Board meeting was held in the Town Hall Commission Chambers at 409 Fennell Blvd., Lady Lake, Florida. The meeting convened at 5:30 p.m.

Call to Order

Member Regan

Pledge of Allegiance

Roll Call

In Chairman Sigurdson’s absence, Ed Regan chaired the meeting.

Member Present
Furch Yes
Saunders No
Regan Yes
Galloway Yes
Vincent No

STAFF PRESENT: 

Thad Carroll, Growth Management Director; Becky Higgins, Development Coordinator; Bill Lawrence, Town Manager and Nancy Wilson, Town Clerk. Attorney Sasha Garcia was also present.

A. New Business

1. Approval of Minutes

Planning & Zoning meeting minutes - February 13, 2023

Member Furch made a motion to approve the February 13, 2023, Planning and Zoning Board meeting minutes as presented; Member Galloway seconded the motion. The motion carried by a 3-0 vote.

2. Boulevard Oaks Preliminary Plat application for the development proposing 160 homes located on County Road 25 a half-mile north of Marion County Road, formerly referenced as the Applebee Property.

Growth Management Director Carroll stated that Charles Hiott of Halff Associates, Inc, submitted a Preliminary Subdivision Plat Plan and application for approval for property owners Palm Property Partners – Haymaker LLC for the Boulevard Oaks subdivision. The subdivision proposes the construction of 160 single-family residential lots on property consisting of approximately 41.23 acres. The proposed lot size is 50 feet by 112 feet with a five-foot side setback from the property line, a ten-foot rear setback, and a 25-foot front setback from the local road. There are 9.07 acres devoted to stormwater management areas and open space, and 2.28 acres for a park and recreation area. Overall density of the development is 3.88 dwelling units per acre. The property’s Future Land Use designation is Single-Family Medium Density (SF-MD) which permits a maximum of six dwelling units per acre with the zoning designation “Planned Unit Development” (PUD). The property is currently vacant.

Access is off County Road 25. School busses will make a loop within the subdivision to pick up children so there won’t be a back-up on County Road 25. There are quite a few trees on the periphery which will remain.  From the north, there will be a left turn into the subdivision with a deceleration lane and a right turn lane coming from the south; those changes will be coordinated with Lake County. Amenities include a clubhouse, swimming pool and walking trail.

There are no wetlands on the property. All proposed roadways and utilities are public and are to be dedicated to the Town of Lady Lake.

The following proposed elements will be maintained by the Developer/Homeowners Association:

Stormwater retention pond and other stormwater infrastructure

Easements

Landscaping within the right of way, internal to the development

All common areas and retention ponds

Approximately 90 days prior to construction, any active gopher tortoise burrows identified on the property will be subject to FWC regulations governing gopher tortoise protection, burrow excavation, relocation, and mitigation.

The application was received on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. The Preliminary Plat Plan meets the design requirements of the Town of Lady Lake Land Development Regulations, Chapter 8 – Subdivision and Plats, and adheres to the requirements of the Comprehensive Plan of the Town of Lady Lake.

Preliminary Plat Plan Approval does not permit the construction of any improvements. The applicant must continue the process via the submittal and approval of an Improvement Plat Plan application which is evaluated by staff. All regulatory agency permits must be submitted to the Town prior to the commencement of site work. The Final Plat Plan will come back before the Planning & Zoning Board.

The developer has reached out to Lake County regarding school concurrency. They are trying to obtain a capacity analysis letter to reserve seats in the school system so when the homes are built, students will have a guaranteed seat.

Member Galloway asked about the twenty-foot road width in the development. With visitors or service vehicles parking on the road, it will make it difficult to traverse them. He recommends 24-foot roads.

Mr. Carroll said that if the Code permits 20-foot paved streets the Town cannot require anything wider than that. Wider roads may alleviate occasional inconveniences but there would need to be more stormwater accommodation and more asphalt laid. This development is not large and the likelihood of 20-foot-wide roads causing a problem is minimal.

Member Galloway is also concerned about visitor parking.

Chuck Hiott, Engineer – Halff Associates

Mr. Hiott said the parking for the recreation area meets Code.  For the subdivision itself, all the homes have garages and the parking spaces in front of the garages. To meet Code, each residential unit has two spaces per home.

Chairman Regan agreed that the 20-foot roads do cause problems but if the Code allows it, there is nothing that can be done about it.

Member Galloway said 289 people are projected to reside in the 160 homes with the potential for teenage drivers. With the number of vehicles passing through the intersection of the development and County Road 25, he suggested a caution light be placed there. Mr. Carroll said that suggestion can be passed along to the County for consideration. The speed limit along that stretch of road is 55 mph.

Chairman Regan said if the school district does not have the seats for the children coming from Boulevard Oaks, what happens to them? Mr. Carroll responded that the local government and school board have provided a means by which the landowner will be assessed a proportionate share of the cost of providing the school facilities necessary to serve the proposed development. This could mean the use of portable units when there are few available seats.

Member Galloway asked about the traffic impact analysis review in which the engineer did not recommend approval. Mr. Carroll said some of the comments authored by the engineer were insignificant, some were merely typographical errors and since the agenda packet was created, some of the issues have been addressed.  The engineer’s report does not affect design or layout of the subdivision.

Rayna Moore – 1711 Marion County Road

Ms. Moore’s property backs up to proposed project. She thanked Member Galloway for his suggestion of installing a caution light. She has written to the County and her representative, Josh Blake, asking them to look at County Road 25 in the vicinity of the new subdivision. Pulling out of Marion County Road onto CR 25 is very dangerous now. When this subdivision and the apartments at Griffin Road and CR25 are completed, it will be even more hazardous. She wants the developers to install a caution or traffic light at their intersection.  She understands it is a county road but would like there to be some dialogue between the developers, the Town and county officials.

Member Furch made a motion to forward the Boulevard Oaks Preliminary Plat application to the Town Commission with the recommendation of approval; Member Galloway seconded. The motion carried by the following roll call vote:

Member Present
Furch Yes
Galloway Yes
Regan Yes

3. Discussion and Review of the Planning and Zoning Board’s Duties and Role in Providing Recommendations to the Town Commission Regarding the Town’s Land Development Processes; Meeting Protocol and Sunshine Law.

Due to only three members of the Board being present at this meeting, there was consensus to table the discussion and review until the April 10, 2023 meeting.

CHAIRPERSON and MEMBERS’ REPORT

No  comments

PUBLIC COMMENT

No public comments

ADJOURN

The meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

s/ Nancy Wilson, Town Clerk

s/ Edward Regan, Chairman